A murder mystery is a study of a community in crisis. Setting a crime novel in the past requires a broad knowledge of the period, and skill in situating the reader in the historical context without slowing down the action. I’ll talk about my research, the challenges, and how I evolved from a grad student in English literature to medieval criminologist.

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Since doing her graduate work in medieval history and literature, Candace Robb has been engaged in bringing to life the rich culture of the late medieval period, from the arts to the politics. She is the internationally acclaimed author of fourteen crime novels featuring medieval sleuths Kate Clifford (The Service of the Dead), Owen Archer (The Apothecary Rose to A Vigil of Spies) and Margaret Kerr (A Trust Betrayed). As Emma Campion she’s published two historical novels about the women of the English court in the 14th century, A Triple Knot and The King’s Mistress. Candace lives in Seattle, though her heart resides in York.